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Tuesday, 4 June 2013

Review: The Snug Bar, Cambridge

Memories of tipsy nights out (in a pre-baby world) give me a real fondness for The Snug Bar on Lensfield Road. So when I got chance to try the new menu and reminisce, albeit with a baby in tow and at lunchtime, I was keen to pop along.As ever I had a good nosey at the menu beforehand and straight away the Magic Milk Bottles stood out as a must-try. Six mini potions to sip on is right up my street! I should probably make it clear here that we were trying both the food and drink menus, but ardent cocktail fan that I am, I sussed the beverages out first.

If like me, you love a cocktail but struggle to choose what to go for, then these mini bottles might float your boat as much as they did mine. They are a fantastic idea in my book - they quench both my need for a drink and my love of the quirky and miniature. I would have them every time, to share on a lunchtime visit but to myself anytime past 5!

As luck would have it, my husband favoured the Snugism, Amaretto Sours and Woo Woo (he loves a good girly drink!) and I guzzled the Margarita, Dune Bug and Cosmo. Other sharers on the new menu include the Tiki collection for two to share or the truly enormous B.F.G, served in a giant pineapple for a group drinking session. Plus you can find the usual array of tempting classics and Snug favourites on the menu as well. Those with a sweet tooth should flip straight to the dessert cocktail page - Banoffee Pie in cocktail form anyone? I loved the design of the new menus as well, especially the illustration showing what good stuff goes in your favourite tipple.

Our little girl Tilly seemed to like it too, here she is making her selection, she's a bit of a Cosmo girl already it seems!

Of course lunchtime drinking without a little sustenance would be foolish and I had my heart set on some fajitas. Pete went for a classic cheese and bacon burger. Both with some chips of course, mine sweet potato, his chunky.

The menu is full of classics, with the burgers taking centre stage. It was great to hear from Mike, the manager at The Snug, that they make it all by hand (the chips being the only exception). Misshaped burgers are testament to this. Next time we visit we will be trying the Coca Cola ribs, a secret recipe dish that takes the kitchen team a few days to get perfect - what with all that sticky marinating. They sound marvellously messy to me. Overall the menu has a slant towards a traditional American diner, which is a great shout as carbs and meat is exactly what you need when indulging in a cocktail or three. Saying that though, there are some great summer salads on offer too if you want a lighter bite. The grapefruit and radish salad would take my fancy on such an occasion.

Our food hit the spot. My favourite part was my sweet potato chips served in an enamel mug. I imagine I would have loved the burger too but it magically disappeared before I had chance to pinch a bite! My only niggle with the whole meal was that I would have like my fajita condiments to come separately (they came all together on some lettuce) but even as I write that I can see how petty it sounds. Please note here that I am the kind of girl who can't eat soggy toast and has to have my spaghetti hoops in a bowl on the side. Feel free to judge me - on the weird food preferences or my love of spaghetti hoops.

And of course no indulgent weekday lunch would be compete without a knickerbocker glory. Our choices of brownie and strawberry ice creams went down a treat.

The Snug has five sister restaurants, one of them is just up the road on East Road, but it is worth remembering that it is an independent. And it's always great to see a local restaurant doing exciting things. I will certainly be back for more Magic Milk Bottles and those ribs.

The Snug Bar, 67 Lensfield Road, CB2 1EN

01223 367684,thesnugbar.co.ukThe Snug team were kind enough to invite us along to try the new menus and we didn't pay for our meal. They even entertained Tilly for us and didn't bat an eyelid when she threw chips on the floor!